樹上開花

putting artificial flowers on trees

Tying silk blossoms on a dead tree give the illusion that the tree is healthy. Through the use of artifice and disguise, make something of no value appear valuable; of no threat appear dangerous; of no use appear useful.

"Nothing, nothing!" - Chao Zong smiled awkwardly.

Noting that Shu Qing was not going to have the meal together, Niu Yu Tao hastily invited her: "Grand d.u.c.h.ess, please sit down!"

Shu Qing politely refused with a smile:

"The girl is ugly and afraid to influence the mentor's appet.i.te.

I would rather play aside on guqin." After what she said, she sat down for guqin.

Niu Yu Tao agreed with her. She really could frighten other people with her face. If you say that she is cute, then it is just to show courtesy. It can ruin your appet.i.te. After all, if she eats with them, then she will have to take off her hat and show her face.

However, the fact that she acknowledged that her face is ugly and speaks boldly about it indicates her strong heart. It is challenging to meet such a girl in both worlds, so she attracted more and more of his attention.

Hearing the sister's arguments, Chao Zong involuntarily became sad. If they fail to remove the birthmark in the sect of the highest purity, then most likely, the sister will have to spend her whole life like this.

Seeing that Chao Zong was lost in thought, Lan Jo Ting coughed

 "Khe-khe" twice reminding the prince.

"Mentor, throughout the way, we had no occasion to thank the mentor. Today, please excuse me and drink the gla.s.s of wine!"

"Prince, I'm flattered. Some Niu thanks the prince!" - Niu Yu Tao raised his gla.s.s and was about to drain it.

But who would have thought that at that moment Yuan Gan would press Niu Yu Tao with his finger on his shoulder and utter to him in a whisper: "Lord Tao!"

It does not take a lot of words to understand what Yuan Gan meant. He reminded Niu Yu Tao of caution. If the gla.s.s is poisoned.?

Niu Yu Tao did not pay attention to him and drank the gla.s.s to the bottom. Then he turned the gla.s.s over, showing that it was empty for everyone.

Seeing that Niu Yu Tao was not listening to him, Yuan Gan relaxed his shoulder and said nothing more. He only reminds him, and then Niu Yu Tao himself can make decisions.

Regarding the act of Yuan Gan, everyone understood that he did not trust them. After all, they are unfamiliar, and here they are suddenly called to drink wine. Of course, this will arouse suspicion. But what Chao Zong was most surprised at was the way Yuan Gan treated Nu Yu Tao. He acts like a subordinate or bodyguard, but not like a brother from the village. Moreover, in appearance, Yuan Gan seems older than Niu Yu Tao.

It was still surprising to everyone that Yuan Gan regularly called Niu Yu Tao * lord of Tao *. Do the villagers call each other -Lord-? Isn't that a joke? Niu Yu Tao is so young, but he is already called the lord Tao. Is it normal?

Jin, jin.

 Shu Qing laid her gentle hands on the strings of the guqin, and immediately the soft, gentle sounds poured, which merged with s.p.a.ce and time.

Behind the pavilion, the oblique rays of the dawn colored everything and the water surface too. On the same rays, the graceful silhouette of Shu Qing looked beautifully, gracefully fingering her hands on the strings of guqin.

Niu Yu Tao involuntarily sighed. If not for this face, then such a G.o.ddess gathered many men around. Why is the lord of heaven so unjust!

The melody of guqin dispersed around the pavilion, and the atmosphere became more and more pleasant.

And when the atmosphere became very good-natured, Lan Jo Ting again tried with Niu Yu Tao to find out the situation in the sect of the highest purity or the case of Dong Guo Hao Ran. At times he asked about cultivation. Only constantly Niu Yu Tao tactfully avoided answering. He really did not know much about the situation in the sect of the Highest purity. And regarding the bronze mirror that Dong Guo Hao Ran had given him, he clearly remembered that he should not give it to anyone other than Tan Mu. As for cultivation, in 5 years he achieved a huge breakthrough in cultivation. Only he will not talk about his successes to others. After all, if he says, will his labors go down the drain.

Seeing that Niu Yu Tao was lying again, Chao Zong again became disillusioned with Niu Yu Tao.

Lan Jo Ting was an experienced person, so when he saw that Niu Yu Tao did not want to continue to reveal his secrets, he did not interrogate him and changed the subject:

"Heard, the Grand d.u.c.h.ess spoke well of the mentor's talent. Your poems are sophisticated and elegant. I don't know if you can pamper us with them?"

Niu Yu Tao said: "The Grand d.u.c.h.ess undeservedly praised me. This is just a bunch of words that come to mind."

Lan Jo Ting continued laughing: "Mentor on the go will be able to say something like that again?

Niu Yu Tao waved his hand again: "Poems - small teaching. Do not pay attention to them. Especially in front of the prince with the guard."

Lan Jo Ting:

 "Incorrectly said. How can poetry be small teaching? Just a verse can calm the situation in the Middle Kingdom, and culture can stabilize the state ... It is also not for nothing that says that the word can raise the military spirit. Also, a good verse in the capital is worth its weight in gold. A verse can allow a simple person to live without the need for food and clothing for a whole life. Why not recite poems?"

Niu Yu Tao's eyes flashed, and he inquiringly asked: "Worth the weight of gold?"

He was already thinking to himself, if so, then the problem of filling the stomach has already been solved. They, in a past life, except to plunder the tombs and study archeology, could not do anything else. And from his experience of writing poetry for Song Yang Qing, we can a.s.sume that he is doing well.

"Of course!" - Lan Jo Ting sincerely smiled: "The Grand d.u.c.h.ess is now playing the guqin, uplifting. Now, the mentor can cheer us up with a good verse!"

"I really can't read poetry." - Niu Yu Tao firmly did not want to show his abilities, but he did not want to offend everyone. Nevertheless, they are staying and eating at their expense, so he pointed to Yuan Gan and said:

"However, my brother can. Ask him to show mercy!"

Standing behind and continually watching everyone, Yuan Gan, as he heard this, froze. He looked dumbfounded. He thought he might have misheard. Niu Yu Tao wants him to read poetry?

* Lord Tao, are you joking? Is everything all right with your head? *

Shan Chao Zong immediately became interested. He liked Yuan Gan more than Niu Yu Tao. So he quickly raised his gla.s.s:

"Listen carefully!"

Only Yuan Gan immediately snapped: "I can't!"

Chao Zong felt uneasy again. He raised his gla.s.s, and now can not let him go and drink.

Again, the atmosphere became awkward, and Niu Yu Tao, turning around, said with displeasure:

"Monkey, just compose a verse, and okay!"

Yuan Gan stared at him and thought: * The devil looks after his own? I have many skills, but writing poetry is not mine. Why are you making me tell a verse? *

"Faster! Compose any verse straight away!" Niu Yu Tao turned his head and rushed it. He also blinked his eyes.

Two people began to exchange glances. They understood each other many times without words. And then Yuan Gan suddenly realized: * It turns out lord Tao wants me not to compose a verse, but just say some verse! Here is the sly one! *

Yuan Gan cursed to himself, then looked around and, frowning, raised his gaze.

Niu Yu Tao was worried because he understood him. The Monkey is not one of those people with whom it is easy to communicate. He can, without blinking an eye, kill a man, but poetry is not his strong side. He already regretted that he had turned his attention to him. Niu Yu Tao turned and was already timidly drinking wine.

Yuan Gan suddenly said: "The boiling crests of the waves of a great river can wash away heroism ..."

-Khe-khe ... from this beginning, Niu Yu Tao immediately choked on wine. He did not think at all that the Monkey could remember this verse.

"Truth and falsehood, victory, and defeat - everything will turn into a void. Forests and mountains are still here. And how many times they were colored red by the setting sun at sunset. And the great river has already seen many autumn moons and felt spring winds. And behind the rice wine kettle, how many good memories can be remembered. How many stories can one remember with a smile? "- this is how the verse ended, without intonations, without any feelings, with the stone face of Yuan Gan.

But even so, Chao Zong and Lan Jo Ting froze. This verse is so appropriate for the place and season, why two people were overwhelmed with feelings!

The sounds of guqin also stopped. Shu Qing initially playing Guqin,  also involuntarily plunged into the meaning of the verse and listened carefully to Yuan Gan. At that moment, she turned to Yuan Gan and, raising her hat, wanted to better see the face of Yuan Gan. She did not expect to hear this from Yuan Gan. She didn't expect it at all!

"Good verse! Indeed a good verse!" - Chao Zong got up and exclaimed joyfully.

Lan Jo Ting also stood up and shook his head, said: I did not think that brother Yuan Gan hid his talents so much!"

"Hehe! Good verse, good verse!" - Niu Yu Tao also raised his gla.s.s and laughed with the others.

Yuan Gan said again:

"Is it my verse? Lord Tao wrote this verse, and I only presented it to you and nothing more."

Chao Zong, Lan Jo Ting, and Shu Qing froze and looked at Niu Yu Tao.

"Come on, it is your verse. Having written a verse, the verse can no longer be destroyed." - Niu Yu Tao looked at the Monkey and patted his shoulder, looking at him displeased. Then he raised his gla.s.s and said, smiling to the three:

"The good verse, the great verse! Let's drink!"

But who would have thought that Yuan Gan would add again:

Lord Tao not only composed verses but also can sing. He sings much better. I am a person with one crinkle and not very friendly, but I do not like to lie!

 Ppp ppp ...

Niu Yu Tao, as he heard, so choked again that his drool fell on snacks. He almost felt bad. He did not think that the Monkey standing behind would get him in the wrong!

Three people watching how the saliva of Niu Yu Tao falls on the table did not pay attention. They were in a stupor.

And they believed the words of Yuan Gan more than Niu Yu Tao.

Lan Jo Ting wiped the wine sprinkled on his face and asked:

"So, he can sing to his accompaniment?" Can the mentor play a musical instrument?

Yuan Gan continued to finish Niu Yu Tao:

"Still would! There is no such cla.s.sic instrument that he could not play. And most of all, he likes to play the erhu.

"Erhu — what is this?" Shan Shu Qing asked curiously. She had not heard about an erhu musical instrument.

From the words of the Monkey, Niu Yu Tao began to cough even more. It was already difficult for him to restrain himself. Therefore, he turned qi to suppress a cough.